How many steps a day are needed to lower mortality? It’s not 10,000

A major study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology revealed that walking 3,867 steps per day is enough to begin lowering the risk of death from any cause. The research analyzed data from over 226,000 people across 17 studies conducted globally, making it one of the most comprehensive investigations of daily step counts and health benefits to date. Led by Professor Maciej Banach, a cardiology expert from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, the study found that taking at least 3,900 steps daily was linked to a notably lower risk of death from all causes throughout the study period.

The findings challenge the popular belief that walking at least 10,000 steps a day is necessary for optimal health. The 10,000-step target has become a global benchmark for fitness trackers and health apps, leading many to believe it is the key to optimal health, despite new findings questioning its effectiveness. The new study suggests that maybe 10,000 steps is not the magic solution people think it is.

Experts from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have added context to the popular 10,000 steps goal by revealing its origin in an old marketing stunt. In the 1960s, a pedometer called the "manpo-kei" (meaning "10,000 steps meter") was marketed in Japan to encourage regular walking. The idea of 10,000 steps traces back to a marketing campaign launched during the 1964 Olympics, as the Japanese character for 10,000 (万) resembles a person walking.

The study demonstrated that even a small amount of walking can have significant health benefits. For every 1,000 extra steps taken daily, the risk of death from any cause decreases by approximately 15%. An additional 500 steps each day reduces the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by around 7%. A reduction in death from cardiovascular disease was linked to an even lower daily step count, around 2,300.

Among participants aged 60 and older, walking between 6,000 and 10,000 steps daily was associated with a 42% reduction in mortality risk, with benefits diminishing after 10,000 steps. In individuals aged 60 and above, the health benefits began to diminish after taking more than 10,000 steps daily. Younger adults who walked between 7,000 and 13,000 steps saw a 49% risk reduction. No upper limit for these benefits was observed; even those walking up to 20,000 steps per day continued to experience incremental health improvements.

The benefits of increased physical activity apply across age groups, genders, and various climate regions. Results indicated a slightly smaller reduction in mortality risk among older adults compared to younger individuals. Though the study did not assess the impact of step counts on people with pre-existing conditions or account for racial and socioeconomic differences, its findings reinforce the value of regular movement for health.

Previous research has also explored the relationship between step counts and health outcomes. In separate research highlighted in JAMA Internal Medicine journal in 2022, it was claimed that walking "up to" 10,000 steps a day could lead to a longer life. The 2022 research stated: "The findings of this population-based prospective cohort study of 78,500 individuals suggest that up to 10,000 steps per day may be associated with a lower risk of mortality and cancer and cardiovascular disease incidence." The 2022 research also stated: "Steps performed at a higher cadence may be associated with additional risk reduction, particularly for incident disease."

These findings come amid increasing concerns over sedentary lifestyles. A sedentary lifestyle is increasingly linked to health risks, particularly cardiovascular disease. Insufficient physical activity now affects more than a quarter of the global population. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified physical inactivity as the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, contributing to 3.2 million deaths annually. The issue of physical inactivity worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, as physical activity levels dropped and have yet to fully recover.

Walking 10,000 steps takes people between one and two hours and will burn between 300 to 800 calories, depending on a person's weight and height. As a result, various step-counting apps and watches have become very popular over the years. While walking 10,000 steps a day has been linked to a reduced risk of developing dementia, cancer, and heart and circulatory diseases, as well as having mental health benefits, the new research indicates that even fewer steps can provide significant health advantages.

Sources: Mirror, The Economic Times, Health, Business News

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq